• Defence Notes

  Singapore Airshow 2022: Airbus highlights A400M mercy relief track record

  18th February 2022

  A400M missions over recent months included COVID-19 and HADR responses, and the evacuation effort from Afghanistan.

• Defence Notes

  Australia diversifies AUKUS into advanced capabilities such as hypersonics

  12th April 2022

  AUKUS is about far more than giving Australia nuclear-powered submarines, with the three countries announcing a wide portfolio of defence collaboration.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2022: Lockheed Martin targets higher F-35 production for 2022

  16th February 2022

  Lockheed Martin has revealed its F-35 production target for 2022, aiming for a marginal increase over 2021 output.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  EDGE showcases Hunter-2 at UMEX

  22nd February 2022

  The smallest member of the Hunter UAV family went on display at the UMEX/SimTEX exhibition in the UAE.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2022: Steadicopter adds hybrid option for Black Eagle 50 UAS

  16th February 2022

  The hybrid Black Eagle 50H rotary-wing UAV introduced by Israel's Steadicopter increases endurance while maintaining payload capacity for ISR missions.

• Defence Notes

  Russia claims import substitution success for guided missiles

  24th March 2022

  KTRV, which makes missiles such as the Iskander-M, has supposedly been able to source domestic replacements for Ukrainian engines and seeker heads — but broader problems persist for the Russian defence industry.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2022: RSAF begins to receive upgraded F-16s

  15th February 2022

  Deliveries of locally upgraded F-16s to the Republic of Singapore Air Force began in mid-2021.

• Defence Notes

  DSA 2022: Denel eyes Asian opportunities with restructuring process almost complete

  28th March 2022

  A revamped Denel aims to make an impact in Malaysia and the broader Southeast Asian market, its interim CEO tells Shephard in an exclusive interview.

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore Airshow 2022: Safran and ST Engineering team up for sustainable fuel

  16th February 2022

  An MoU between Safran and ST Engineering offers potential green benefits for military helicopter operators.

• Land Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2022: Mystery customer in Asia orders BNET

  15th February 2022

  An unnamed Asian army is to receive software-defined radios from Rafael, with deliveries starting this year.

• Defence Notes

  Australia takes ballistic missile threat more seriously

  7th March 2022

  Australia is improving its ability to model enemy ballistic missile attacks.

• Defence Notes

  Singapore Airshow 2022: IAI details Barak MX missile capabilities

  18th February 2022

  IAI expands on multi-layered approach to integrated air defence using Barak MX missile family, hinting at smart launcher function for better target acquisition; downplays reports of Moroccan acquisition.

• Digital Battlespace

  Singapore Airshow 2022: Boeing and Singapore pledge to share F-15SG data

  16th February 2022

  Boeing says a data exchange pipeline will store and facilitate the analysis of supply chain data for the F-15SG aircraft fleet.

• Defence Notes

  Russian defence industry faces long-term damage from US sanctions

  28th February 2022

  It may take time, but US-imposed sanctions will prevent Russia from accessing certain essential components such as microelectronics and chips. They will also affect the capacity of Russian industry to produce cutting-edge defence systems and hinder efforts by Moscow to match the technological trajectories of the West and China.

• Naval Warfare

  Chinese navy provocatively lases an Australian P-8

  21st February 2022

  China stands accused of illuminating an Australian military aircraft with a laser, something it has not denied.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Garmoosha [UAE]

  Programme Background First Contract In an interview with Shephard at the Dubai Airshow 2021, Faisal Al Bannai, CEO of EDGE, stated the development of the ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  S-70M Black Hawk [Indonesia]

  Programme Background On 23 August 2023, Lockheed Martin announced that Sikorsky had signed an agreement with PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) for a strategic partnership in ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye (1-3) [UAE]

  Programme Background The GlobalEye is a modification of Bombardier's Global 6000 jet aircraft fitted with the S-band Erieye Extended Range (ER) radar and mission system ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Reach-S [UAE]

  Programme Background At the Dubai Airshow 2023, held in November, EDGE Group announced that the UAE Armed Forces had acquired 100 units of the Reach-S, ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  HT-100 [Undisclosed]

  Programme Background At the Dubai Airshow 2023, EDGE Group announced that it had accepted an order for six HT-100 drones. The drones will be supplied ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (4-5) [UAE]

  Programme Background United Arab Emirates Air Force had a requirement for three tanker aircraft. Boeing confirmed that the UAE sent an official request for three ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Sky Mantis (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background Reuters Report Speaking to Reuters in March 2024, Evolve Dynamics stated that about 100 Sky Mantis drones were flying in Ukraine, highlighting a ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) Project [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirement The Japanese Coast Guard (JCG) operated a few dozen Chinese-made UAVs that conducted SAR and surveillance activities. The drones performed well and ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Data links

  Data links | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9B [UAE]

  Programme Background Requirement The programme is required to meet current and future threats faced by the UAE by proving ISR, target acquisition, locating submarines and counter-land and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heron Mk 1 Replacement [Singapore]

  Programme Background Ahead of the Singapore Airshow, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) outgoing chief, Major General Kelvin Khong, stated that the service would ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  AR-2000

  Unveiled by the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) at the Dubai Air Show 2023, the AR-2000 is a large rotary-wing drone designed for ...

• VD200

  The VD200 is a tail-sitting VTOL UAV which is able to transition to fixed-wing horizontal flight. The UAV was displayed by CADI, a subsidiary of ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  SW-1

  The fixed-wing SW-1 is designed to perform tactical ISTAR missions. It was displayed at the Airshow China exhibition in November 2012. 

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  TD220

  The TD220 is an electric, coaxial dual-rotor UAV manufactured by Zhong Hang Zhi (ZHZ). The aircraft, which debuted at the 2014 Singapore Airshow, is designed ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Sky Archer

  The Sky Archer is a short-endurance unmanned quadcopter designed for military use. It weighs 38kg and can reportedly carry two 50mm recoilless rocket launchers. 

• Awing-F100J

  Awing-F100J is the latest UAV from Tianjin-based Quadrant Space (Tianjin) Technology and was displayed at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China for the first time ...

• Self-propelled missile systems

  Sky Dragon 12

  Norinco presented a model of the FK-1000 short-range SAM system at Airshow China 2012 and unveiled the newly-named Sky Dragon 12 at Africa Aerospace and ...

• Transport

  Y-20

  Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation launched the development of the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft in 2006. The Y-20 incorporates a high-set wing, T-tail and rear cargo-loading ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Wing Loong 10

  The Wing Loong 10 is a HALE UAV, known as the WL-10 in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and formally known as the Cloud ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  WJ-500

  WJ-500 is a stealthy subsonic UAV with a low radar signature and the appearance of a cruise missile with very short mid-mounted control surfaces. It ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  WJ-600

  First revealed during the 2010 China Airshow, the WJ-600is a large-scale baseline UCAV manufactured by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and is a maritime ...

• Military - USVs

  SeaFly-01

  The SeaFly-01 USV, developed by Beijing Sifang Automation, was showcased at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China in November 2016. It is designed for various ...

• Awing-F20

  The Awing-F20 is a fixed-wing UAV designed by Quadrant Space (Tianjin) Technology. The platform was displayed at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China, alongside other ...

• Air: aerial targets

  TL-8

  The TL-8 is a target drone that can be used to simulate second- and third-generation fighters, cruise missiles and other targets in weapon testing and ...

• Awing-H100J

  The Awing-H100J is a rotary-wing UAV designed by Quadrant Space (Tianjin) Technology. The Awing-H100J was displayed at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China, alongside other ...